FAQs on Enhanced Infant and Child Care Subsidies

For Parents​

Amount of Subsidies
a​nd Eligibility

No.

Anticipated Issue

Response

1

What
are the subsidies available for parents?

Parents
who enrol their child (who is a Singapore Citizen) in a licenced child care
centre will receive a Basic Subsidy (BS) of up to $600 and up to $300 for
infant care and child care respectively depending on the main applicant’s
working status.

On top of BS, parents may receive Additional
Subsidy (AS) of between $100 and $440 for child care and $200 - $540 for
infant care depending on the household income level.

What are the
eligibility criteria to receive Basic Subsidy (BS) and Additional Subsidy
(AS)?

All parents with a Singapore Citizen child
enrolled in an ECDA-licenced child care centre will receive BS. The amount will depend on the main
applicant’s working status and the programme type that the child is enrolled
in.

To qualify for the AS, the main applicant
(the mother) should be working at least 56 hours per month, and the monthly
household income should not exceed $7,500.

For larger families with 5 or more members
with more than 2 dependents who are not earning an income, they may apply for
AS through Per Capita Income (PCI) if the family’s PCI does not exceed
$1,875.

3

How
will you determine my household income?

Monthly household income is based on the sum
of the gross monthly income of both parents.

4

How
will you determine my Per Capita Income (PCI)?

For larger families with 5 or more members
with more than 2 dependents who are not earning an income, they may apply for
AS through Per Capita Income (PCI).

All family members must be related by blood,
marriage and/or legal adoption and iving in the same residential address as
reflected on the NRIC of the main applicant. Dependents refer to persons
living in the same household who are not earning an income.

Per Capita Income (PCI) =

Total gross monthly household
income of family members------------------------------------------------------------------------------Number of family members living
in the same household

5

What is the minimum co-payment amount?

Parents
will receive the Additional Subsidies subject to a minimum co-payment
amount. Parents are required to pay a
minimum portion of their childcare fees as a reflection of their stake in
their child’s education and development. The minimum
co-payment amount increases progressively as household income rises. For
example, a family earning less than $2,500 will minimally have to co-pay $3
for child care, while a family earning $4,501-$7,500 will have to co-pay at
least $215.

Is there additional help for larger families with many elderly
or young dependents?

Yes, larger families with many dependents can choose to have
their Additional Subsidy allotment computed on a per capita income (PCI)
basis. This will ensure that such families receive additional help.

Is
there any financial assistancefor families
who are unable to afford childcare fees even after the Basic and Additional
Subsidies?

Low-income families with extenuating
circumstances can apply for further child care financial assistance if they are
unable to afford childcare fees even after the Basic and Additional Subsidies.
They can also apply for a one-time grant to cover the initial start-up costs of
enrolling a child in the centre.

Children who are Singapore Citizens and
placed in affordable child care centres can be considered for further financial
assistance. Both parents should also be working at least 56 hours per month, or
produce valid reasons for not working, such as he/she is on medical leave,
under incarceration, looking for work, or has been certified as a full-time
caregiver for a dependent. Relevant supporting documents should accompany the
application.

Eligible families may apply for the
assistance through the child care centre.

For more information, please approach your
child care centre.

8

What
if my income level changes after I have applied for the Additional Subsidy?
Will the subsidy amounts I qualify for change?

You
may submit a Notification of Change (NOC) to the child care centre at
any point in time if your household’s financial circumstances have changed.
The Additional Subsidy (AS) will be recalibrated to better support you based
on your new household income.

If
you did not qualify for AS previously and believe that you qualify after your
household’s financial circumstances have changed, you may submit an NOC
together with an application for AS through your centre.

9

Will
my income be assessed on a yearly basis?

No. Your income data will be verified to
determine your subsidy eligibility and allotment when your child first enrolled
into an infant / child care centre; has a change in care programme and in the
year the child progresses to K1 programme.

10

Will
I enjoy Additional Subsidies if my child is enrolled in half-day and
flexi-care programmes?

Yes. Half-day care programmes qualify for subsidies
pro-rated at 50% of full day care. Similarly, flexi-care programmes will
receive pro-rated subsidies based on the number of hours of care received per
week.

Yes,
your adopted child will be eligible for both Basic and Additional Subsidies
if he/she is a Singapore Citizen enrolled in a licenced child care centre and
meets the eligibility criteria. You
will need to provide official documents for verification of eligibility.

12

I
am a working mother who is a non-Singapore citizen (Permanent Resident or Foreigner). Will my child be eligible for the child
care subsidies?

If
your child is a Singapore citizen, he/she will enjoy the Basic and Additional
Subsidies if all the eligibility criteria are met.

13

Do
single fathers enjoy child care subsidies?

Fathers
who are widowed, divorced or undergoing separation are also eligible for Basic
and Additional Subsidies.

They
should inform the child care centre of their circumstances and submit the
relevant document for verification purposes:

a) Death Certificate of mother

b)
Separation Deed/ Decree Nisi Absolute stating that the
father has the care and control of the child

c)
Statutory Declaration or Police Report stating that the
child's mother has left home with unknown contact.

The
centre personnel will assist to submit the subsidy applications for them.

Stay-at-home/non-working mothers are eligible for Basic Subsidy
of up to $150 per month. They will not be eligible for the Additional
Subsidy. However, they may also be eligible for other benefits such
as the Baby Bonus and the Government’s matching contribution in the Child
Development Account which can be used to defray preschool expenses.

15

If
I am a non-working mother with extenuating circumstances (retrenched,
actively looking for employment, taking care of sickly family members, with a
child with special needs), will I benefit from Additional Subsidies?

You
may wish to approach your centre personnel who will assist you to submit an application
to ECDA for consideration of full subsidy support given your extenuating
circumstances.

We
will consider each appeal carefully on a case-by-case basis. The centre will be informed of the outcome
of the assessment.

16

How
does a child care centre calculate the GST on childcare fee and subsidy?

For
GST registered child care centres, GST is charged on the full value of the
monthly fee before subsidy.

Parent
will have to pay net school fees after subsidy plus GST charged on the
full value of the monthly fee.

17

If
my child is currently in EIPIC (Early Intervention Programme for Infants and
Children), does he/she qualify for Additional subsidies?

The
Additional Subsidies do not apply for the EIPIC programme, which has its own
subsidy framework.

Yes,
as long as the centre is licensed with ECDA. The subsidy will be disbursed
via the centre where your child is placed. You will only need to pay the
subsidised fees (i.e. child care fees less the Basic and Additional
subsidies).

Application for
Subsidy

19

How
do I apply for the Additional Subsidy?

You
may obtain a copy of the application form from the child care centre or
download the application forms here.

20

Am I required to declare my employment details and my spouse's
particulars to the centre?

Yes, both parents are required to declare their personal
particulars (including employment details) to the centre in order to claim
subsidy. If you are a self-employed,
you will also need to declare your working status, working hours per month
and income level by making a Statutory Declaration (SD).

21

What
do I need to do if there is a change in my child’s programme?

You are required to inform the child care centre when there is
a change of care programme using ECDA Form 3, "Notification of
Changes". This is to ensure that the amount of subsidy claimed is
correct.

22

What
do I need to do if I want to withdraw my child from the centre?

You must complete ECDA Form 4, "Withdrawal from Child
Care Centre / Subsidy" to inform the centre of the withdrawal. You
can obtain the form from the centre.

23

What do I need to do if I want to transfer my child to a new centre?

You must
inform the current centre of the withdrawal and complete ECDA Form 4:
Withdrawal from Child Care Centre / Subsidy, in order for the new centre to
enrol your child. You can obtain the form from the centre.

In
addition, you will need to re-apply for Additional Subsidy at the new centre if
the eligibility criteria is met.

24

Do
I need to inform the child care centre if there is a change in my working
status?

You
will have to inform the centre of changes in your working status promptly.
This is to ensure that the subsidy support is in accordance to your working
status and household income.

Please
submit a declaration of working status to the centre for verification. For
self-employed applicants, you are required to submit a statutory declaration to indicate your:

-working status and nature of job and

-
total working hours per month and

-
gross monthly income per month

Please note that
non-disclosure of a change in working status is an offence and legal action
may be taken against you for giving false information to the Ministry.

Kindergartens

25

Are
there any equivalent subsidy enhancements for kindergartens?

Basic and
Additional Subsidies are only applicable at ECDA-licensed child care centres.

​Parents
whose gross monthly household income is $6,000 and below and have a Singapore
Citizen child enrolled in kindergarten, nursery or pre-nursery (K2, K1, N or
pre-N) programme in kindergartens operated by Anchor Operators (e.g. PCF
kindergartens) or the Ministry of Education (MOE kindergartens) are eligible
for Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS).

Parents
may also utilize the Baby Bonus cash gift and funds
in the Child Development Account to defray preschool expenses.